


A Place To Lay Your Head

by CourierNinetyTwo



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Trans!Ryuji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 15:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11831169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourierNinetyTwo/pseuds/CourierNinetyTwo
Summary: The night they defeat Kamoshida, it still feels like the world is breaking at the seams, but at least they have each other.





	A Place To Lay Your Head

**Author's Note:**

> Commissioned by sailorscooby!

Sneaking Ann and Ryuji into Lablanc was the hardest part.

Sojiro barely glanced up when he stepped into the coffee shop, even though Akira exaggerated a yawn while walking past the counter. He was almost to the staircase when the older man gave up on drying a glass and raised a dark brow. "Not even a good night, huh, kid?"

"You looked busy." Akira forced a smile, although at least he didn't have to pretend to be tired. Fighting Kamoshida had worn him down to the bone. "Sorry."

Sojiro's eyes narrowed, sharp and inquisitive. "Yeah, okay. Go get some rest, because you better be going to school tomorrow."

"I will be." If anything, it would be worth it just to see the look of growing dread on the coach's face. "Night."

He made sure every step made a sound on the way up the staircase, then opened the door for a second before closing it again. Hidden in the shadows, Akira hoped Sojiro wouldn't bother to check that he was actually in bed, and listened to the perfunctory sounds of the shop being closed; the jingle of keys on a ring, yen clicking together as the coins in the tip jar were tallied up. When the bell atop of the front door dinged on Sojiro's way out, Akira counted to sixty under his breath before creeping back down the stairs.

The front of the shop was empty, and silent except for the hum of the refrigerator. Akira kept his eyes on the door as he approached it, praying that Sojiro hadn't accidentally left anything behind before he gripped the handle. A faint creak of the hinges betrayed it opening, but the bell was quiet as he poked his head out, quickly glancing to either side. There was no sign of the older man, but there was a white and red sneaker poking out from the bottom edge of the far alley fence.

"Ryuji, Ann." He said towards the shoe, knowing exactly who it belonged to. "Come on."

Two blonde heads popped up at the same time, and when Akira gave the thumbs up, they both came around the corner. Ann had one arm hooked under Ryuji's shoulder, keeping the weight off his injured leg, and Akira jogged over to help support him on the other side. Ryuji had insisted on climbing the terrace to swipe the crown off Kamoshida's head, but the jump had cost him, and Akira caught a hiss of pain as they guided him into the shop.

"Oh shit." Ryuji muttered when the door clicked shut. "I forgot this place had stairs."

"We'll just take it one at a time." Ann insisted, looking towards Akira for confirmation. He nodded, and hoisted a little more of Ryuji's weight against his own body. "Tuck your elbows or we won't fit."

It was a slow stumble up to the attic, including a break in the middle where Ann had to pause to catch her breath. Ryuji started to protest that he could walk himself, only to snap his mouth shut when he received a glare in unison. After wedging one foot back against the wall, Akira managed to get the doorknob open, giving them enough space to cross the threshold. Another few feet and Ryuji collapsed right onto the bed, but his haste took Ann down with him.

"Ow!" She grumbled, untangling her arm from his shoulders and rubbing at a new sore spot along her ribs. "You know, you'd think we'd get some kind of special healing or something with those fancy outfits."

"I mean, we're thieves, not superheroes." Ryuji countered, wincing as he slowly stretched out his leg. "Damn it, that really hurts."

"Did you break something?" Akira asked, burying both hands in his pockets. A thumb tapped against the screen of his phone, wondering how late that doctor down the way made house calls.

"Nah, it's a muscle and tendon thing. I don't have the right support or whatever, anymore." The words were matter-of-fact, but Ryuji's expression darkened with anger, reminded of who caused the pain in the first place. "You know, I should have stomped his Shadow right in the face."

"He's not worth it." Crossing her arms around herself, Ann sighed. "You'd be even more hurt and it's not like he'd show up tomorrow with a broken nose."

Ryuji frowned, but still mimed a kick with his other leg. "Yeah, I guess."

"I think there's a heating pad in here. One second." Akira started sorting through all the boxes he had shoved to the side while cleaning the room, ignoring a hundred old trinkets and papers until finding a worn beige pad at the bottom of the last one.

He didn't quite trust the thin white electric cord bulging out the side of it, but without any other option, Akira closed his eyes and plugged it in. There was a warning _bzzt_ , but the little light on the attached remote flickered to life. Just to be safe, he set it on Low first, dropping down to one knee in front of Ryuji to wrap it around his leg.

Warmth started to build under Akira's palms, which he took as a good sign. "You might have to hold it there. It's probably not going to stick. "

"I will. Thanks, man." Ryuji glanced around the attic, then grimaced. "I can't believe Sakura makes you live up here."

"It's not that bad." Akira said reflexively. Lablanc wasn't home, but he wasn't welcome there right now. "You two hungry?"

"Starved." Ann confessed, slowly sagging back against the mattress. "I don't think I've ever fought so hard in my life. Or been so grossed out for that long at once."

He knew he could fix the first part. "I'll be right back."

Sojiro always kept leftover curry in the fridge, but Akira made sure to take the bowl stuffed in the very back so its absence wouldn't be obvious. A little more hunting turned up some packets of cocoa powder, and his mouth started to water as he heated everything up, tossing the powder into three mugs of hot milk before carrying it upstairs with the curry. Ann immediately got up from the bed to help him, putting one of the rounded plates right in Ryuji's lap.

"Oh, you're the best, Akira." Ryuji shoved a steaming bite right into his mouth, then choked it down before it could burn his tongue. "Hey, come sit on the bed with us."

"Yeah, there's plenty of room." Ann shifted to be closer to the pillow, putting a gap between her and Ryuji that was just wide enough for Akira to fill. "Should we be having coffee this late?"

"It's just hot chocolate." He said softly, and smiled when Ann's eyes popped wide with delight. "Sorry, no marshmallows."

She took a long sip, then hummed in satisfaction. "Don't even worry about it."

For a few minutes, there was nothing but the subdued clatter of silverware and ceramic. Ryuji finished his curry first, setting the plate down on the floor before adjusting the pad around his leg. "I think that's enough heat. Feels like I'm being hard-boiled down there."

Ann leaned forward past Akira's shoulder, frowning at Ryuji. "You should probably also, you know..."

Ryuji tilted his head. "What?"

"You know, the thing!" Her eyes flickered nervously towards Akira before she muttered under her breath. "The eight hour rule and stuff."

A few seconds later, Ryuji caught on.  "You don't need to put it in code or nothing. Akira knows already."

"Oh." Ann's face flushed pink and she quickly leaned back. "You should have told me. Jerk."

"I have no idea what I know at this point." Akira murmured, perfectly deadpan.

"Yeah, fair." With a light nudge to his shoulder, Ryuji smiled at him. "Ann just meant my binder. I got to yank it off."

That made a lot more sense than an entire other dimension full of Shadows, and Akira was grateful for it. "There's a bathroom downstairs."

"It'll just take a second, if you don't mind lookin' away." Ryuji said, carefully getting to his feet.

Akira averted his eyes, letting them focus on Ann's hands as they grasped her mug. A subtle tremble went through her arms, but the strain was centered in her back, so rigid that she could probably snap a stick between her shoulder blades. Without a word, he turned his own hand over, offering it to be taken. Surprise flickered across Ann's face, but she pried her fingers away from the empty cup, grasping at his instead. They exchanged a brief squeeze, then let go.

"Goddamn stretchy--" There was a rasp of fabric on fabric before Akira heard something soft hit the floor. "There we go. I'm good."

Ryuji's hair was mussed from tugging his shirt back on so fast, but it suited him. He squeezed back into the space next to Akira, keeping his leg propped the best he could. "So I guess we won, huh?"

"Did we?" Ann set her cup on the floor next to his plate, pushing around the curry on her own for a moment before gulping down another bite. "I know we've got the medal and stuff, but will it really change anything?"

Akira felt the weight of it in his pocket, heavy as a stone. "It's too soon to tell."

"It can't all have been for nothing." Ryuji grumbled, tensing up. "Kamoshida screwed us over, and he's got to pay for it. I'm not getting expelled after what he did to me."

"I just want Shiho to be okay." Ann admitted, scraping the edge of her spoon over the plate harder she needed to. "Because if she's not...I should have killed him."

Silence spilled over the room, and Ann resolutely ate every last bite of the curry. The moment her plate was clean, she dropped it on top of Akira's and started to cry. Every sob was choked and raw, hot tears spilling down her face, and Akira rested a soft hand against Ann's back as she bent down over both knees, curling into herself. Ryuji shot him a terrified sort of look before reaching across Akira's lap, loosely cupping his hand over Ann's.

"I'll kill him." Ryuji said, but his words were shaky. "If it doesn't work, I mean."

"Then you'd go to prison!" Ann shot back, her outrage muffled by a long sniffle. "I just want to do something right, you know? I want this to be right."

"It was." Despite the roil in his stomach, Akira declared it with as much confidence as he could summon. "You did the right thing, and Kamoshida will get what's coming to him."

"What if the cops don't do anything?" The question left Ryuji's mouth in a quick jumble. "I mean, he was telling the truth. How many adults had an idea of what was goin' on and let it slide because his rep was one of the only things Shujin had to show off?"

Akira closed his eyes, remembering the blare of sirens, how blinding the police lights were up close. His wrists ached for a second, the bite of steel echoed there. "That's why he has to confess. They'll always convict you if you do that."

"He'll spill his guts." Ann sat up slowly, rubbing dark tracks of eyeliner off her face. "Carmen seemed really sure."

"Uh, your Persona _talks_ to you?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Yours doesn't?" Worry flashed across Ann's face before she looked at Akira. "What about you?"

"They all talk." He hadn't tried to explain the Velvet Room to either of them yet, and still wasn't sure when that should happen. Something in his gut said Caroline and Justine wouldn't take kindly to it. "Ryuji probably just can't hear his over all the cannon fire."

"I mean, he yells and stuff..." A red flush spread across Ryuji's face. "I just...I didn't think he was talking to me, okay?"

"God, Ryuji." Ann shook her head, but managed a little laugh. "Why did we stop hanging out in middle school again?"

"Because I thought all my friends had to be boys." Flustered even more, Ryuji retreated back to his side of the bed. "Then track started and stuff, and I wanted to make sure I was the best."

"Yeah, I remember." Ann turned to look at him, losing what little mirth she had left. "I almost tried out for the volleyball team, you know. Because I wanted to keep Shiho company."

Nausea bubbled up in the pit of Akira's stomach, and he didn't even want to imagine what Kamoshida would have done if he'd been able to order Ann around like every other player. "I think I'm good on sports for now."

"I don't blame you." After rubbing the back of his neck, Ryuji inched a little closer to Akira, letting the outside of their legs touch. "Why was he so after _you_ , anyway? Like outing all that stuff about your arrest. You just got into Shujin, like, you're the new guy."

That was a good question, although Akira had started to figure out that everyone who found out about his record was going to condemn him for it, even if they didn't have the first clue what had actually happened.

Everyone except the two people sitting next to him.

"I think Kamoshida wanted everyone else to feel small." Ann said, her knuckles brushing back over Akira's knee. It smoothed out the wrinkle in his trousers there. "That was the only way he could be king of the world, if all the people around him were crushed into the dirt."

"Egotistic prick." Ryuji growled, but kept his eyes on Akira. "I didn't mean the new thing in a bad way, man. You're totally welcome here."

"You might even blend in eventually." Ann's tone made it clear she was kidding, giving a toying flip of blonde hair. "Unless you want to bleach like Ryuji."

For a moment, Akira pictured the look on Sojiro's face if he waltzed into the shop reeking of peroxide, and managed a grin. "I don't think it's my style."

"Who wants to blend in, anyway?" Puffing out his chest, Ryuji mirrored the smile. "We're the _Phantom Thieves_."

It felt good to hear out loud. Akira knew the truth of what they did had to be kept a secret, but he could sense Arsene's smile in the back of his mind, the smug satisfaction that could only come from dragging a monster out into the light. That was justice, not whatever twisted parody the cops back home swore their badges to.

"We should probably get home before the trains stop." Ann said, although she didn't look the least bit happy about it. "I don't want to get you in trouble, Akira."

"Me either, but..." Ryuji's hands clenched into fists in his lap. "I don't feel good about leaving you solo, man. Not after tonight."

Akira considered the facts: the bed was definitely too small for the three of them, someone would have to get up early to take care of the dishes before Sojiro realized they were missing, and they'd have to be out of the shop before he came to open up and discovered their impromptu sleepover.

His heart overruled all of that in an instant when he realized both Ann and Ryuji were looking at him, silently pleading for any excuse to stay. Akira put his arms around each of their shoulders and squeezed hard, prompting a hug that almost resulted in a two-way blonde collision.

"Lean into him, not me." Ann muttered, returning the hug with an arm loosely wrapped around Akira's stomach. "By the way, Ryuji snores."

He glowered at her, but the effect was lessened with his cheek braced against Akira's chest. "Not if I'm on my side, Takamaki."

"Guess that means I'm in the middle to keep you two from arguing in your sleep." Akira chimed in, unable to stop a small smile.

"Yeah, it'll be like a sandwich!" Ryuji sputtered right after the words left his mouth, turning red as a lobster. "Not like, you know, in a sexy way, but--"

Ann blushed furiously, hiding her face against Akira's shoulder. "Please stop talking."

The awkwardness persisted as they all undressed for bed, although both Ann and Ryuji kept their shirts on. Akira only realized that after pulling his own over his head, and their joint stare prompted him to turn crimson too.

When he reached back down to grab his shirt, Ann shook her head. "You're fine."

"Yeah, you're real good." Ryuji chimed in, nonchalantly tugging at the edge of his bright yellow boxers. "I call wall side, by the way."

"Oh, come on! I don't want to fall off." Ann argued.

Now that they were distracted by something else, Akira took the opportunity to climb into bed too, pulling the blankets back so everyone could get underneath. A hasty game of rock-paper-scissors won Ann the spot by the wall, and she carefully climbed over Akira before pressing up against his back.

"Is this okay?" She whispered, breath warm against the back of his ear.

He nodded, settling against the pillow so Ryuji could slip in front. For a moment, the three of them were stiff, limbs tight against their sides, but Akira gave up on the game of chicken first, draping his arm over the curve of Ryuji's ribs. When there was no protest, he nudged Ann's elbow with his own, and heard a small but relieved sigh as she tucked a hand around his stomach.

"You good, Ryuji?" Akira asked, wanting to make absolutely sure.

"Yeah." Ryuji said, already sounding half-asleep. "Your bed's way more comfortable than mine."

That wasn't what he had meant, but it was a good enough answer regardless. Akira took off his glasses and tucked them away on the windowsill, smiling to himself when Ann snuggled against his back. This wasn't a fix for everything, especially when their futures still hung in the balance, but for the first time since arriving in Tokyo, he fell asleep right after his eyes closed.

Held between the two of them, Akira didn't even dream.

\--


End file.
